Published: Thursday, November 7, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, November 7, 2013 at 6:30 p.m.

The physical properties committee of the University of Alabama board of trustees on Thursday approved resolutions to renew leases for off-campus housing and advance a series of construction projects, including the renovations of Sewell-Thomas Stadium and the Ferguson Student Center.

Photo Galleries

The agenda items approved by the committee will go before the full board of trustees Friday morning.

The amended lease agreement with Tuscaloosa I LLC for apartments at the Lofts at City Center in Tuscaloosa would increase the number of units rented by UA from 23 to 30 and would run from Aug. 10, 2014, until July, 31, 2015. The university would pay $949,200 to rent the units, which officials say are needed to help meet the demand for on-campus housing.

Right now, the Lofts at City Center is the only agreement for off-campus space to rent to students, though UA has had similar agreements in the past, according to Alicia Browne director of Housing Administration.

The renderings for the expansion and renovation of Sewell-Thomas Stadium were among a series of preliminary design approvals by the committee. The project is scheduled to be bid in the spring. Construction is scheduled to begin after the spring 2014 baseball season and be completed in 2015.

The committee also signed off on resolutions to approve proposed architectural designs for the new Kappa Kappa Gamma and Phi Mu sorority houses and demolition of the existing Alpha Phi chapter house. The trustees also approved preliminary designs for a south campus parking deck behind the sorority houses on Magnolia Drive.

The trustees approved a resolution to increase the budget for the ongoing renovation of the Ferguson Center by about $1 million to $44.9 million for replacement of floor tile on the second floor and the stairs on the main stairways. The work would be bid in the spring, according to Tim Leopard, assistant vice president of construction.

A resolution to increase the budget for a one-story facility at Manderson Landing for the women's rowing team by about $500,000 and execute a construction contract with low bidder J.T. Harrison Construction Co. Inc. of Tuscaloosa was also approved for consideration by the full board. The change was needed to accommodate unexpected conditions near the river's edge, according to a presentation to the committee.

The committee approved a resolution to demolish the aging Palmer and Somerville residential halls at an estimated cost of $420,010. The demolitions are estimated to save UA about $5.4 million in deferred maintenance costs. Palmer, which now houses the Mallet Assembly student organization, would be demolished during summer 2014, and Somerville would follow in summer 2015.

While there are long-term plans for the location of the adjacent residence halls, the site would be temporarily landscaped after the demolition, according to Leopard.

The committee approved a resolution authorizing an architect agreement with Fitts Architects Inc. of Tuscaloosa for the planned $6.9-million Kappa Alpha fraternity house.

Similar resolutions would authorize agreements with Adams Stewart Architects LLC. for a planned severe weather shelter on the east side of campus and MidSouth Services Inc. of Birmingham for a $6-million University of Alabama Police Department radio communications tower on the recently acquired Bryce-East McFarland property off Campus Drive.

<p>The physical properties committee of the University of Alabama board of trustees on Thursday approved resolutions to renew leases for off-campus housing and advance a series of construction projects, including the renovations of Sewell-Thomas Stadium and the Ferguson Student Center. </p><p> </p><p>The agenda items approved by the committee will go before the full board of trustees Friday morning.</p><p> </p><p>The amended lease agreement with Tuscaloosa I LLC for apartments at the Lofts at City Center in Tuscaloosa would increase the number of units rented by UA from 23 to 30 and would run from Aug. 10, 2014, until July, 31, 2015. The university would pay $949,200 to rent the units, which officials say are needed to help meet the demand for on-campus housing.</p><p> </p><p>Right now, the Lofts at City Center is the only agreement for off-campus space to rent to students, though UA has had similar agreements in the past, according to Alicia Browne director of Housing Administration.</p><p> </p><p>The renderings for the expansion and renovation of Sewell-Thomas Stadium were among a series of preliminary design approvals by the committee. The project is scheduled to be bid in the spring. Construction is scheduled to begin after the spring 2014 baseball season and be completed in 2015.</p><p> </p><p>The committee also signed off on resolutions to approve proposed architectural designs for the new Kappa Kappa Gamma and Phi Mu sorority houses and demolition of the existing Alpha Phi chapter house. The trustees also approved preliminary designs for a south campus parking deck behind the sorority houses on Magnolia Drive.</p><p> </p><p>The trustees approved a resolution to increase the budget for the ongoing renovation of the Ferguson Center by about $1 million to $44.9 million for replacement of floor tile on the second floor and the stairs on the main stairways. The work would be bid in the spring, according to Tim Leopard, assistant vice president of construction.</p><p> </p><p>A resolution to increase the budget for a one-story facility at Manderson Landing for the women's rowing team by about $500,000 and execute a construction contract with low bidder J.T. Harrison Construction Co. Inc. of Tuscaloosa was also approved for consideration by the full board. The change was needed to accommodate unexpected conditions near the river's edge, according to a presentation to the committee.</p><p> </p><p>The committee approved a resolution to demolish the aging Palmer and Somerville residential halls at an estimated cost of $420,010. The demolitions are estimated to save UA about $5.4 million in deferred maintenance costs. Palmer, which now houses the Mallet Assembly student organization, would be demolished during summer 2014, and Somerville would follow in summer 2015.</p><p> </p><p>While there are long-term plans for the location of the adjacent residence halls, the site would be temporarily landscaped after the demolition, according to Leopard.</p><p> </p><p>The committee approved a resolution authorizing an architect agreement with Fitts Architects Inc. of Tuscaloosa for the planned $6.9-million Kappa Alpha fraternity house.</p><p> </p><p>Similar resolutions would authorize agreements with Adams Stewart Architects LLC. for a planned severe weather shelter on the east side of campus and MidSouth Services Inc. of Birmingham for a $6-million University of Alabama Police Department radio communications tower on the recently acquired Bryce-East McFarland property off Campus Drive.</p><center><p>***************</p><p><i>Reach Ed Enoch at <a href="mailto:Ed.Enoch@tuscaloosanews.com">ed.enoch@tuscaloosanews.com</a> or 205.722.0209.&nbsp;</i></p><p><div class="fb-like" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/tuscnews" data-send="false" data-layout="button_count" data-width="200" data-show-faces="false" data-font="tahoma"></div><i>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/tuscnews">Tuscaloosa News coverage on Facebook</a></i></p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/EdEnoch" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large">Follow @EdEnoch</a><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?screen_name=EdEnoch" class="twitter-mention-button" data-size="large" data-related="tuscaloosanews">Tweet to @EdEnoch</a><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script>